Surging downtown visitors driven by sports and entertainment events
SAINT PAUL, Minn. (March 2, 2026) Consistently measured as the busiest month of the year for downtown Saint Paul, March is expected to once again draw nearly a million visitors from across the region. With the major Minnesota State High School boys hockey and wrestling tournaments and dozens of events on the calendar, downtown Saint Paul is set to showcase its sports, arts, entertainment and culture offerings throughout the month. Downtown leaders anticipate key events to attract nearly 1 million visitors this year.
March features a packed lineup of sports and entertainment, including eight Minnesota Wild home games, four Minnesota Frost home games and a Minnesota Roller Derby bout. The single busiest day of the month is typically the Minnesota State High School League (MSHSL) Boys Hockey State Tournament’s opening day on Wednesday, March 4. At the end of the month, baseball returns to downtown with the St. Paul Saints’ home opener on March 31, kicking off a six-game series against the WooSox.
Throughout the month, venues across downtown will host dozens of events, including 37 concerts and musical performances; 16 sporting events; nine comedy shows; and a Broadway musical, “Mrs. Doubtfire,” at the Ordway Center for the Performing Arts. The Saint Paul RiverCentre will be busy as well, with a range of conferences, galas and sporting events, with the Let’s Play Hockey Expo at RiverCentre and a dance competition at Roy Wilkins.
“We have a lot of pride in this community, and it’s exciting to see so much activity in downtown Saint Paul in March,” said Joe Spencer, president of the Saint Paul Downtown Alliance. “From packed arenas and theaters to restaurants and museums, this is a month where the city really showcases its vibrancy. When people come downtown, they create lasting memories and get a true sense of what makes Saint Paul special.”
In March 2025, 937,800 people visited downtown Saint Paul. This figure is based on Placer.ai data and does not include downtown workers and residents.
“March is a sweet spot for Saint Paul,” said Jaimee Lucke Hendrikson, president and CEO of Visit Saint Paul. “From annual events like the state hockey tournaments and St. Patrick’s Day, we see visitors and our community come out to celebrate, and this year we’ve got incredible events and experiences that highlight the energy and creativity of Saint Paul reflected across our local businesses.”
St. Patrick’s Day celebrations will once again bring crowds downtown, with bars, restaurants and venues hosting special events and promotions throughout the week. Festivities are expected to span the area, including the 60th annual St. Patrick’s Day Parade, which travels from Mears Park to Rice Park, and the Landmark Center’s St. Patrick’s Day Celebration, hosted by Irish Arts Minnesota on March 17. View a full list of St. Patrick’s Day events in Saint Paul.
Visitors are encouraged to plan ahead for extra traffic and parking demand or consider traveling downtown via public transit. For a full calendar of events downtown, visit growstpl.com.
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About the Saint Paul Downtown Alliance
The Saint Paul Downtown Alliance is a nonprofit organization that represents downtown businesses, nonprofits, government entities, residents and entrepreneurs. Together, we work to build a strong and vibrant downtown, creating a positive downtown experience for all. For more information, visit stpdowntownalliance.org.